Report: Microsoft Paying YouTubers for Positive Xbox One Coverage

Microsoft reportedly struck a deal with Machinima video partners offering them financial bonuses for promoting the Xbox One, as long as the details of said promotional agreement were kept confidential, according to Ars Technica.[2]

The promotion, outlined in what appear to be leaked emails[3] to popular Machinima personalities and a since deleted Tweet[4] from Machinima’s UK community manager, offered video content producers an additional $3 CPM ($3 per thousand video views) for posting videos including at least 30 seconds of Xbox One gameplay footage in the first two minutes, and a verbal mention that the console was being played. It was also stipulated that producers tag their videos ‘XB1M13′ and post between 3 AM ET, January 13 and 2:59 AM ET, February 10 to be eligible for payment.